Orconectes (Gremicambarus) virilis Hagen 1870

Additional Information

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National Range: “From Saskatchewan to Ontario, Canada, and from Montana and Utah to Arkansas, New York, and Maine. Introduced into California, Maryland, parts of New England, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, West Virginia, Utah, New York, Chihuahua, Mexico, and Pennsylvania” (Hobbs Jr. 1989); “…we also have collections from the Nolichucky and French Broad River systems in Hamblen, Greene, and Cocke counties [TN]….” (Williams and Bivens 1996)

Adult Habitat: “lentic and lotic situations” (Hobbs Jr. 1989); “small streams to large rivers and reservoirs” (Williams and Bivens 1996); “inhabits small creeks to large rivers and impoundments; found in both pool and riffle situations under rocks and in leaf litter of fluvial waters” (Bouchard 1974).

Reproductive Season: n/a

Species associates:C. sp. C (in North Carolina)

Conservation status:Nonindigenous (non-native) Species in North Carolina

According to NC General Statue and NCWRC Regulation, it is unlawful to stock any fish (including shellfish and crustaceans) into public waters without a WRC permit. It is also unlawful to transport, purchase, possess, or sell any live individuals of virile crayfish (Orconectes (Gremicambarus) virilis), rusty crayfish (Orconectes (Procericambarus) rusticus), Australian “red claw” crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) or other species of “giant” crayfish species.

Illustrations are reproduced with the permission of the Smithsonian Institution Press. We are grateful to them for allowing us to provide this useful information with the other materials provided herein. We also wish to recognize the tremendous contribution to crayfish biology by the author/artist, the late Horton H. Hobbs Jr.

The following illustration is reproduced from:
Hobbs Jr., H. H. 1989. An illustrated checklist of the American crayfishes (Decapoda: Astacidae, Cambaridae, and Parastacidae). Washington, D.C., Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, Number 480:1-236.